An electric power steering system. One example includes a steering control, a steering shaft connected to the steering control, a steering rack, a sensor configured to detect an operating parameter of the steering rack or an electric motor, and an electronic controller. In one example, the electronic controller is configured to receive data indicative of the operating parameter from the sensor, compare the data to a known characteristic curve, the known characteristic curve indicating potential damage to a component of the electric power steering system, and when the data matches the known characteristic curve, output an indication to a user that potential damage has occurred to the component of the electric power steering system.

An electric power steering system. One example includes a steering control, a steering shaft connected to the steering control, a steering rack, a sensor configured to detect an operating parameter of the steering rack or an electric motor, and an electronic controller. In one example, the electronic controller is configured to receive data indicative of the operating parameter from the sensor, compare the data to a known characteristic curve, the known characteristic curve indicating potential damage to a component of the electric power steering system, and when the data matches the known characteristic curve, output an indication to a user that potential damage has occurred to the component of the electric power steering system.

A ball screw device including a low-cost retainer that is disposed between a ball screw shaft and a ball nut and has a flange portion, a steering system using the ball screw device, and a method for producing the retainer of the ball screw device are provided. The ball screw device includes the ball screw shaft, the ball nut, rolling balls, and the retainer. Both side surfaces of each of retainer grooves are formed so as to allow radially outward movement of the rolling balls and to restrict radially inward movement thereof, and the retainer has a weld joint at both of the opposite ends of each retainer groove in the axial direction of the retainer.

A cylindrical retainer configured to retain balls in a rollable manner is provided inside a ball screw nut. The retainer has retainer grooves each having a shape of an elongated hole that extends in an axial direction of a ball screw shaft so as to be inclined at a predetermined angle. A first end of the ball screw nut and a first end of the retainer, which is one of two ends of the retainer that is closer to the first end of the ball screw nut, are spaced away from each other by a distance. The terminal end of the retainer groove closest to the second end of the retainer and a ball that is closest to the second end of the ball screw nut are spaced away from each other by a distance. The distance is set equal to or larger than the distance.

The invention relates to a gear reducer (1) for an assisted-steering module, including a casing (3), a worm (4) which meshes with a worm wheel (6), and a spring (10) for taking up gear play, which presses said worm (4) radially against the worm wheel (6), the wall of the casing (3) being bored, away from of the axis (XX′) of the worm, with an opening (14) sealed by a plug (15), the spring (10) for taking up gear play including at least one retaining lug (17, 18) which projects radially to the axis (XX′) of the worm (4), and the hub (20) of the plug (15) having a guiding wall (21) that is substantially transverse to the axis (XX′) of the worm (4), which is designed to be placed axially opposite said at least one retaining lug (17, 18), in order to prevent the axial movement of the spring (10) beyond a predetermined functional travel.

The invention relates to a gear reducer (1) for an assisted-steering module, including a casing (3), a worm (4) which meshes with a worm wheel (6), and a spring (10) for taking up gear play, which presses said worm (4) radially against the worm wheel (6), the wall of the casing (3) being bored, away from of the axis (XX′) of the worm, with an opening (14) sealed by a plug (15), the spring (10) for taking up gear play including at least one retaining lug (17, 18) which projects radially to the axis (XX′) of the worm (4), and the hub (20) of the plug (15) having a guiding wall (21) that is substantially transverse to the axis (XX′) of the worm (4), which is designed to be placed axially opposite said at least one retaining lug (17, 18), in order to prevent the axial movement of the spring (10) beyond a predetermined functional travel.

A ball screw device is provided, including a retainer that can properly retain balls. The difference between a diameter being the pitch circle diameter of the ball screw device and the outside diameter of the rack shaft is set to be equal to or larger than the difference between the bore diameter of a ball screw nut and the diameter. The thickness center diameter of the retainer is set to be smaller than the diameter. Even when the inclination angle is reduced, the clearance between the inclined surfaces of each retainer groove on the radial inside can be easily set to be smaller than the diameter of the balls because the bore diameter of the retainer is set to be smaller. Thus, even when the inclination angle of the inclined surfaces is set to be smaller, the balls can be properly retained.

An angle superimposition apparatus for a vehicle steering device with a planetary gear. The apparatus includes—a first shaft and a second shaft, which are arranged in a longitudinal direction so as to be rotatable relative to one another about the common longitudinal axis thereof. —A carrier arrangement is fixedly arranged to the body shell, on which carrier arrangement the first shaft and the second shaft and a rotor shaft are at least partially mounted and positioned so as to be rotatable. —An auxiliary drive with a stator is arranged on the carrier arrangement and with a rotor shaft, having a rotor, mounted rotatably and arranged coaxially with respect to the longitudinal axis and one of the shafts. —A planetary gear having a worm, which is arranged as a sun wheel so as to be rotatable about an axis of rotation and is arranged on the rotor shaft.

An angle superimposition apparatus for a vehicle steering device with a planetary gear. The apparatus includes—a first shaft and a second shaft, which are arranged in a longitudinal direction so as to be rotatable relative to one another about the common longitudinal axis thereof. —A carrier arrangement is fixedly arranged to the body shell, on which carrier arrangement the first shaft and the second shaft and a rotor shaft are at least partially mounted and positioned so as to be rotatable. —An auxiliary drive with a stator is arranged on the carrier arrangement and with a rotor shaft, having a rotor, mounted rotatably and arranged coaxially with respect to the longitudinal axis and one of the shafts. —A planetary gear having a worm, which is arranged as a sun wheel so as to be rotatable about an axis of rotation and is arranged on the rotor shaft.

If road information indicates that a first curve zone at a near side and a second curve zone at a far side that curve in different directions are continuously located in a road, a steering assist unit of a steering assist device or a steering assist circuit finishes decreasing process of decreasing the steering assist amount when the subject vehicle passes through the first curve zone earlier than a case when the subject vehicle passes through the second curve zone.